“When you give a dinner or a supper, do not ask your
friends, your brothers, your relatives, nor rich neighbors, lest they also
invite you back, and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor,
the maimed, the lame, the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay
you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just.” (Luke 14:12-14)
There is a bit of irony in this statement because our
Lord made it to the guests He was currently dinning with. Yet, Jesus is NOT
telling us that we cannot have family dinners or invite our friends to a party,
rather He is using an exaggeration to make a point.
In this world our relationships are often governed
either by the law of reciprocity (giving to those who, in kind, give back to
us) or are “transactional” (those based upon our gaining something such as
prestige, acceptance, social status, or a feeling of self-worth). Thus, Jesus’
comment was aimed at combating pride with the weapons of love and humility.
True rewards, renumerations, and blessing come from
extending ourselves to others without expecting anything in return.
Fr.
John
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